Resistance 2

While Left 4 Dead’smultiplayer experience was more polished, I’ve always insisted that Resistance 2’s online modes held more potential. The ideas were there, it just never flourished the way I hoped.

The idea of a class-based co-op scenario intrigued me, and I liked how Insomniac Games laid it out there. Since then, other developers have capitalized on the idea. Halo: Reach incorporated into its co-op while Brink fleshes it out to its utmost building a whole game around it.

When it comes to the upcoming Resistance 3, Insomniac Games picks up where it left off in terms of the multiplayer. They lifted the class-based system in the co-op and overlayed it to the competitive multiplayer side, adding abilities and kill-streak perks to team deathmatch.

For the past week, my life has been encapsuled by Moscone Center and the Metreon, and within the three days of gaming, I’ve learned the following things:

* Activision is announcing a new space for Home on the PlayStation 3. It’s called “Backstage with Guitar Hero” and it comes out tomorrow.
* The folks over at Insomniac announced a 1.50 update to Resistance 2. Along with that, they’re launching some downloadable content. The DLC includes new skins that are 99 cents each or $3.99 for all six. The other content is a three-map pack for $5.99.
* When you buy a Nintendo DSi, you’ll have six months to register the DSiWare and get some free points to buy some software.
* Blackouts in Berkeley suck and wreck havoc with my posting and video. Expect an interview with Nintendo Vice President Denise Kaigler, Insomniac multiplayer designer Jake Biegel and more tonight and tomorrow.

Overall, it goes into the early history of the Sentinels and fills in some of the background story of how the Chimera invaded the United States. You get to see Capelli’s early days with the team, and from the looks of it, he’s pretty much the same guy that you see in the game — a little hot-headed but caring for his comrades.

It’s a good way to explore the Resistance universe, but if you want the real story, it’s best to get ready for Resistance: Retribution. At a recent meeting, Brian Keltner, a Sony software specialist, showed me how the connectivity with Resistance 2 works.

It seems as if co-op is “in” when it comes to online gaming. The mode that was resurrected by the original Halo seems to have flourished under the recent crop of games, and nothing shows how far the feature has come than Insomniac Games’ Resistance 2 and Valve’s Left 4 Dead. (I recently did a review on L4D in the paper.)

Although both games are excellent and I enjoyed both. For my money, I enjoyed Resistance 2’s co-op more than a game that’s built on it. Although Left 4 Dead may have had more polish in terms of level design, the core gameplay of Resistance 2’s trumps whatever Valve’s zombie game has to offer.

This came across my inbox a little late, but I’ll pass it along anyway if you’re looking for something to do on the eve of the election. Sony is holding a midnight launch party forResistance 2 at the Metreon in San Francisco tonight.

There’s going to be a sale on the Resistance 2 special edition along with Ted Price and team from Insomniac. If that hasn’t convinced you to go yet, try this: You get some swag. What swag? We’re not sure, but we think it’ll be good.

The big news coming from the Resistance 2 front is the announcement of the collector’s edition that everyone and their mother seems to be doing nowadays. The collector’s edition, which sells for $79.99, includes the following:

Copy of Resistance 2 with special edition cover artwork selected by the fans

An exclusive Chimeran Hybrid action figure with Bullseye, created by DC Unlimited. This looks awesome BTW

As for the Resistance 2 beta, it’s slated for October. And you can get it via pre-order at GameStop or by purchasing a subscription to Qore, a video/game episodic magazine thingy. If you don’t want to go through those avenues, you can try here.More on the SOCOM beta on the jump

According to numerous reports on the InterWebs, the Resistance 2 beta has gone live — for the lucky select few. Those folks — and they know who they are — got invites and are probably killing Chimerans as we speak. The Chimerans are also probably killing humans. I guess it’s just one big killfest.

But for those who want to check out the beta site, you can go here. If you are able to participate, you should have gotten an e-mail at your PSN-linked e-mail address.

If you still want to get the denial screen, you can try plugging in your info at the log in.

For those keep tracking of the Resistance 2 ARG. There’s been an update of sorts. I’m sort of playing along. I haven’t been keep rapt attention as some folks, but I did get a creepy recorded phone call on my cell phone. The numbers were all zero making it untrackable.

It makes me wonder if the person who called is the Natasha Hestridge-looking woman (pictured above).

Now, I’ve gotten a strange e-mail that leads to a new site called America First America Only. It gives further information on the back story behind Resistance 2. The site has an interest set of newspapers and marginalia you can click on.

There’s also a Tip Box. That looks promising. Hmm, I wonder what happens if you enter your name, number and document control number? Do you think it’s another way to get into the Resistance 2 beta?

The only thing is that the Resistance 2 beta is only available with a subscription. So folks you have to pony up $24.99. I’m crossing my fingers and hope this is true. I’m still waiting on that SOCOM: Confrontation beta from Qore episode 1. Is that even up yet?